Archive for October 6th, 2008
Venema:
1) Those who hold a contrary opinion are mistaken i n their views of the nature of self-love. They do not distinguish between the love of human nature and the love of fallen human nature. It is impossible for man to divest himself of the former, without ceasing to be man ; because he cannot hate himself or his own flesh. Nay, the very fact that God loves his creatures and the works of his own hands proves, that we, who derive our being from him, should, in imitation of his example, love ourselves. In his fallen condition, man does not love himself as man–as the creature of God; but he does so for his own sake, and in order to gratify his own evil desires; he seeks salvation i n himself and not in God : and, if he worships him at all, he worships him because of some- reward whhich he hopes to receive at his hands. Hermann Venema, Institutes of Theology, trans., by Alex W. Brown, (Andover: W.F. Draper Brothers, 1853), 23.
2) The goodness of God, considered in its act must be distinguished into
(a) Benevolence
(b) Beneficence
(c) Complacency
(a) Benevolence is an inclination of the will to do good as far as it is possible and lawful to do so. It is called the love of God towards his creatures–the strong desire by which he is actuated to promote their happiness and perfection. It is universal in its extent, because it has for its objects creatures as such, inasmuch as they are the works of his hands. For the creator cannot hate what he he himself has made, but is naturally and necessarily led to preserve, to perfect, and to bless his own work. He is called love in the highest sense and without any restriction. “God is love,” 1 John iv. 8; “good and upright is the Lord,” Ps. xxc.8; there is none good but one, that is God,” Matt. xix.17; “he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good,” Matt. v.45. Scriptures declares that he has “no pleasure in the death of him that dieth,” because he is his creature, Ezek. xviii.32; that he “will have all men to be saved,” 1 Tim. ii.4; that is he is “not willing any should perish,” 2 Pet. iii.9. It tells us that he “so loved the world that he gave his own begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life,” John iii.16. This love is therefore universal, and prompted him to give Christ; and hence he is said to be “the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe,” 1 Tim iv.10. His love of benevolence to all appears in the command which he gave that the Gospel should be preached to every creature without exception, Matt. xxviii.19. It is said that he “will render to ever man” without respect of persons, “according to his deeds,” Rom. ii.6; that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad,” 2 Cor. v.10.